Thule Crossover Sling Backpack for 13 Inch MacBook Pro - TCSP-213

Like many people, I am always seeking the perfect bag. Like many others, I realize there is no perfect bag and instead have a collection of bags, from which I choose the one best suited to the immediate purpose. Some bags of mine are narrowly specialized, like the map case I use for my tablet and accessories. That bag is well over a decade old and has been put to a variety of uses.

This Thule bag is more generalized. I can use it for a meeting at the local coffee shop or a cross-country trip.

The bag is medium-sized and does not offer serious competition to a good-sized backpack. It holds my Lenovo X220 with its 12.6" screen and slice battery comfortably, but a 15.6" screen computer will not fit.

At the back of the pack, nestled snug against your back, is a slide in pocket for the computer. It is not well padded, so you want to be somewhat careful about how you handle the pack. There is a single large mesh-fronted and zippered pocket to hold accessories. I would be happier if this pocket were divided into two sections. The way it is, if you load with AC power adapter, mouse and other accessories, they are going to wind up jumbled in a mess. This main compartment is large enough to accommodate a pretty thick stack of papers or a change of clothes.

Continuing to the front is another zippered compartment with five small pockets which can be used for media players, small cameras and the like. There is also a larger mesh-fronted zippered pocket6 for more small items. This compartment is just a bit too small for carrying 8.5 x 11 documents.

At the front, there is a single zippered compartment, only a few inches deep, suitable for a cell phone and other small items. It is not divided into smaller compartments, so the contents may become jumbled.

There is also a large holder on the side for water bottles or whatever else you would like to store in it.

Construction is totally top-notch. The bag fabric is sturdy, the stitching appears sturdy. Zipper pulls are large and the tabs covered with a rubbery substance. The back has two large foam pads to ease the burden on your body. The strap is wider than most, adjustable to fit almost any girth and very nicely padded in the shoulder area.

Overall, this is an extremely comfortable bag, even for people like myself with back and neck problems. The bag is capacious enough for most needs. My only reservation is that I would have preferred more segmentation in some of the compartments. But, if I use mesh bags, I can pretty much overcome that problem.

In my opinion, the Thule Crossover 19 Liter Sling Pack merits serious consideration.

Thule Crossover Backpack TCBP-117 
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Thule Crossover 32L Macbook Pro Backpack

The first thing you'll notice is how durable the materials are. This bag is SOLID. The zippers and buckles are high quality. The straps and handles are rugged yet padded and very comfortable.

At first I thought this bag wasn't that big inside, because when all the pockets are empty, it actually compresses down into a fairly compact size. Then I realized how much capacity there is. And the compartments are so smartly designed! To give you an idea: Right now the back compartment has my iPad and 15-inch MacBook (which is sitting on a built-in cushioned bottom so that it doesn't hit the ground when I put the bag down), the middle compartment has clothing and a pair of sneakers, the outside zipper is holding my AC adapters and wires, the hard protective case on the outside top has my sunglasses and camera, and the external pocket in the middle of the bag is holding the newspaper. (And I'm not even using all the compartments; there is still room in the bottom compartment, and there are tons of zippered crevices on the insides to organize anything you've got.)

The sign of a really great product is when the designers put in features I didn't even realize I needed, UNTIL I used them. I am talking specifically about the "Shove-it Pocket." This is a pocket in the middle of the bag that doesn't have a zipper, and it is accessible from the top of the bag -- you can quickly stuff things in there and pull them out quickly as needed. When I first saw this pocket I thought, "Um, this is kind of weird. I don't think I'm going to use this when I could put my stuff inside the backpack." Then I realized that the external pocket is perfect for putting in my newspaper. And my umbrella. And my water bottle. And my banana! It is expandable with adjusting straps, and everything stays put. It's a genius feature, and because it is instantly accessible, I find I use it the most out of all the compartments.

The only negative I could say about this bag is that it's kind of tall. But I'm 6'1" and it fits my frame perfectly - and the height helps it hold so much!

In comparison to this Thule backpack, every other backpack I've used seems cheap and poorly thought out. This bag is comfortable, functional, durable, and brilliantly thought out. I cannot recommend it strongly enough.
Thule Crossover Backpack TCBP-117
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Thule Crossover Backpack TCBP-117 Backpack for 17-Inch Macbook/Pro/Air (Black)

A highly functional daypack with crush-proof SafeZone compartment, the Thule Crossover withstands the abuse of your everyday adventures.

• Padded, integrated notebook compartment holds up to a 17-in. MacBook Pro
• Heat-molded, crush-proof SafeZone compartment protects your iPhone, sunglasses and other fragile gear
• SafeZone compartment is lockable or can be removed for extra room
• Water-resistant nylon body material
• Die-cut EVA shoulder straps with mesh covering provide ventilation and breathability
• Compression straps customize the bag to the size of your load
• Organization compartment keeps cords and other accessories at hand but out of the way
• Multiple grab-and-go handles allow for easy transport

Thule Crossover Backpack TCBP-117
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Pack is rugged, well-designed, with accessible pockets, while remaining compact.
1. Straps- shoulder straps are comfortable and NOT thick (thick/padded sounds good, but does not distribute weight as well, thus inhibits blood flow, comfort)
2. Pockets- I love the crush-proof top pocket (great for sunglasses, or things I need rapid access to; keys, iPod, etc)
3. beverage pouches- zip up, to narrow the pack.
- only issue is they are not very deep, but work great for most 12oz bottles
4. Padded, firm enough to protect electronics (within reason, I remind myself...and my wife reminds me!)
5. Handles- awesome! rigid (easy to grab), and on both top and bottom (designed by a military veteran, I suspect. Well done)
only one issue, and it's a minor one: I really like my bag to sit up independently. The bag is rigid (i.e. the fabric doesn't collapse), but the sleek design doesn't provide a great platform to remain erect. No worries, I simply have to lean it on something. a small sacrifice for a great overall design.
I travel a great deal, and am always looking for a better bag- this is one of the best I've found, will be my day-to-day bag, as well as my carry-on travel bag.